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UPC Broadband Signs One Millionth VoIP Customer

ARRIS is an international communications technology company that provides broadband network system products and solutions that allow operators to deliver a complete range of integrated triple play — voice, video, data — services. The company specializes in the designing, engineering, product development and distribution of cable television and telecommunications equipment and services to provide TV, telephone, video and data access to homes and businesses over broadband hybrid fiber/coaxial cable (HFC) systems

Nortel is another international communications technology provider, whose next-generation technologies support service providers’ efforts to eliminate today's barriers to efficiency, speed and performance by simplifying networks and connecting people with information.

UPC Broadband, the European broadband division of Liberty Global, Inc., whose networks pass more than 11 million homes and businesses in Western Europe is using solutions from both Nortel (News - Alert) and ARRIS, as well as several others, in growing its European network. In fact, over the past 15 months, UPC’s telephony deployment has doubled and it has now signed its one millionth VoIP customer.

UPC is also one of the first cable operators to deploy SIP (Session Initiation Protocol (News - Alert))-based VoIP services, laying the foundation for new, feature-rich voice and multimedia services, like presence, instant messaging, video and mobility, and taking the first step towards the converged services.

“As consumer and business demand for multimedia services grows, operators want scalable, reliable and open VoIP solutions that deliver services in a timely, reliable and cost-efficient manner without abandoning existing network investment,” said Steve Pusey, executive vice president, Nortel and president Nortel Eurasia.

UPC has been able to do just that, combining parts from various vendors in building out its network.

“VoIP is a vital part of UPC Broadband’s strategy of providing a completely integrated voice, video and data service tailored to the needs of our residential and business customers,” said Gene Musselman, President and Chief Operating Officer for UPC Broadband. “[Several] vendors have helped us with our packet network transformation by delivering solutions that support our next generation SIP-based services.”

UPC provides high quality VoIP service that is attractively priced to offer a real alternative for consumers to their existing telephone service. Its deployment of VoIP-based equipment — like softswitches and gateways from Nortel and customer premise equipment from ARRIS — allows UPC to provide enhanced triple play services to its customers. There are plans to develop a VoIP/SIP-based converged product portfolio over a single IP network to both fixed and wireless networks. The goal is to introduce integrated fixed/mobile services in Switzerland and other key markets based on these SIP softswitches.

Erik Linask is Associate Editor of INTERNET TELEPHONY. Most recently, he was Managing Editor at Global Custodian, an international securities services publication. To see more of his articles, please visit Erik Linask’s columnist page.